OPINION: Get a Jump Start on Early Mornings

Weekday mornings at seem as sleepy as the regulars dragging themselves inside for a morning cup of Joe. The cafe is peacefully quiet. The regulars, most of whom look retired, line up at the counter stools, joking with one another and the staff while enjoying waffles or eggs and coffee.

The server is attentive, yet not as overtly friendly to newcomers as with the regulars she knows by name. Yet it's somehow comforting that a spot like Sunny Side exists in Marlborough — a community within the community that has formed around an affinity for early mornings and breakfast food.

However, weekends turn Sunny Side into a bustling cafe with a wait, which moves quickly one server noted. The menu is extensive and multiple pages long —benedict and omelet options each have a full page devoted to the beloved breakfast foods.

Be sure to look to the wall for listed daily specials. Or for a bargain, order the express breakfast, which includes juice, coffee and choice of bread (bagel, homemade muffin, etc.) for less than $3. One menu attribute not found everywhere is a page devoted to healthier breakfast choices, and patrons have the option of substituting eggs for eggbeaters to create a lower cholesterol meal.

If a fan of French toast, try the croissant French toast. Although it looks like bizarre pancakes, this dish tastes just as delicious as regular French toast, but is thinner and less rich as the thick slices of bread typically used.

Sunny Side is open Monday through Friday from 5:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. and until 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Remember that the cafe only accepts cash. Sunny Side Cafe is located at 42 Boston Post Road East, Marlborough, and phone number is 508-481-1974.